Hearn Sounds Off on Luis Ortiz and His Team Over Joshua Talks

Anthony Joshua will defend his WBA, IBF, IBO and WBO heavyweight titles against Andy Ruiz at Madison Square Garden on June 1, it was officially announced on Wednesday.

Joshua, who is undefeated in 22 fights, was originally due to face Jarrell Miller in his American debut in New York.

However, Miller was ruled out due to failed drugs tests, leaving Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn needing to find a replacement.

While Michael Hunter and Luis Ortiz were rumoured as possible options to fill the void, Californian Ruiz (32-1) has now signed a deal to take the bout.

The 29-year-old fought for the WBO title against Joseph Parker in December 2016, losing by majority decision in New Zealand.

Eddie Hearn, promoter for Ruiz, tried his best to get Ortiz, but claims they dropped the ball on the money.

"I got two phone calls when the [Miller] news broke straight away. One was Don King and one was Jay Jimenez who is Luis Ortiz’s manager. Jay Jimenez phoned me up and said, ‘I can’t believe this, I don’t think Luis will be ready.’ I think I spoke to 'AJ' an hour or so before and he said to get him anyone," Hearn told IFL TV.

"I said, ‘Find out if Luis will be ready.’ He came back the next day or two days later and said, ‘Make us an offer.’ I made them an offer $6 million – that was my first offer… He didn't come back to that offer. I like Jay Jimenez so I don't want to out him too badly because I don't think it's his fault but I just want to get the facts right...

"No reply, this was on Friday. Monday I said, ‘I’ll call you.’ Later on that day I came back and said, ‘Right, this is it, $7 million for June 1. [If he wins, he gets] a rematch for quite a bit more and if he loses, I’ll give you another fight for a lot of money for security.’ Nothing back."

"Not only were you offered $7 million, but you tried to out us in the public eye, in the media. To try and f*** our reputation and discredit us when you got offered $6 million and then $7 million for a fight. And how much did you get when you fought Deontay Wilder? I don’t know, $1 million? If that? So you got offered seven times more to fight Anthony Joshua."

[QUOTE=Ajvar;19714840]What Joshua gets from DAZN is a result of hard negotiations about payment plan for future fights. Technically DAZN fights are same as PROMOTER organizing a non-ppv non-purse-bid fight paying both sides and taking income from channels and elsewhere, but…

[QUOTE=davefromvancouv;19712419]You didn't understand what I wrote. There is no way to know how many DAZN subscriptions are generated for a particular fight, so the percentage CANNOT be based on the generated revenue. It has to be based on what each…

[QUOTE=Input1914;19713763]Obviously I'm speaking in hyperbole but let's be honest, the PBC folks are not doing a great job of managing their talent, keeping them active and putting on the best fights. [/quote]
I half agree with you. I think they…

[QUOTE=Eff Pandas;19707384]This PBC is the devil sh^t is getting old.
Andy Ruiz is with PBC. If Haymon has some plan to destroy DAZN or Eddie why would he help save the June 1 show?[/QUOTE]
Obviously I'm speaking in hyperbole but…

[QUOTE=Sid-Knee;19712197]I wouldn't listen to papers, they get the $/£ mixed up all the time. Fury would have said he earned 10 Mill if that was the case to show Hearn and AJ that he's making bank to make it look…